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THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY - Book 1 Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the basis of the HBO TV show, and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, and good humor--not to mention help from her loyal assistant, Grace Makutsi, and the occasional cup of tea. This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith's widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to "help people with problems in their lives." Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency received two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement .

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Enjoy a rare glimpse into the daily life of a contemporary African town in Botswana with this popular new mystery series. Mma. Ramotswe solves her clients' problems with a combination of common sense, humour, and wisdom. Charming, honest and life affirming, these little stories will leave you anxious for more.

I've had this book on my bookshelf at home for ages, and I finally picked it up last week. I thought it would be a fun summer read, simple and yet funny detective book. Though it was humorous and a great read, it was in no way simple or light. It tackled some of Africa's darkest history from the racist and deadly South Africa mines to mistreatment of women. It was wonderful to read this book. The narrator is a witty and intelligent woman that you can't help but love. I will definitely read the sequels, and I highly recommend this book to others.

I tried this book because I'd heard great things about it and because it's set in Botswana - a country that doesn't generally get a lot of play in English-speaking literature. As a typical neurotic North American, I found the portrayal of the Motswana mindset with its lack of neurosis and obsessive self-analysis a welcome change of pace from my own day-to-day experience. Given that the series is written by a Scottish man it's entirely possible that this attitude is complete fiction - but what an appealing fiction! I'm not going to lie - if appropriation of voice is one of your pet peeves, you're going to hate this book. It's a quick read. The writing style is simple and straightforward while still maintaining a distinctive voice. Precious Ramotswe may be a young woman in modern day Botswana, but her relaxed attitude, cunning mind, and seen-it-all-before analysis of different personality types brings to mind the elderly Miss Marple of St. Mary Mead. It's no wonder that Agatha Christie is one of Mma Ramotswe's heroes. Recommended for a good summer read on one of the hottest days of the year (early to mid August would be good). If it's too hot to do anything but put your lawn chair in the shade and immerse yourself in a book, this would be that particular book.

I too enjoyed the telling of the life of Precious Remotse and her profession (that makes her sound like a woman of ill repute)... Precious is independent, strong and sensible. She is content with her life and herself and Botswana sounds beautiful. The description of her life and country is so the opposite of what one imagines any place in Africa to be that it makes me want to go there too and I hate the heat.
However, even in this idyllic place, Precious is confronted with the darkness that is life everywhere. She has suffered brutality at the hands of her first husband (hyena meat is what he should be) and is beset by cases of disappearances, infidelities and kidnappings.
Do not despair dear reader as The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency has enough light, humour and joy in it to make it a very satisfying read.

I can see I'm the odd one out, but I couldn't even make myself read this book because it was so terrible. The writer (rich white male professional) is the polar opposite of his main character (poor African female) and I couldn't read a single word without finding prejudice, bigotry and sexism in every page. I gave up after page 2 when I saw comments eluding to preconceptions of girls being generally worse at math than boys. To me this book was absolutely awful. Sorry I even picked it up.

This novel is like an African armchair, snuggly and traditional in shape (like Mme Ramotswe) - but you just wonder whether an armchair is appropriate in the climate? Somehow, this cosy read works beautifully.